Mr Price Pro Pro Junior

ASP Pro Junior Mens Event
ASP Pro Junior Womens Event
North Beach, Durban
30 June- 1 July 2006

Scores/Results/Photos/Video etc

Upsets Aplenty as Pro Junior Finalists Decided

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 1 July, 2006 : - - Easterly winds and battered waves saw the ocean awash with upsets as big names plummeted on day two of the Mr Price Pro Junior at Durban’s North Beach on Saturday.

South African U20 Champion Tammy-Lee Smith (Ballito) caused the major upset of the day, defeating defending women’s pro junior champion Karina Petroni (USA) in their semi-final match-up, eliminating the current world number one on the World Qualifying Series (WQS) from the event.

Posting just as 6.00 out of a possible ten points, as her highest scoring ride; Smith used local knowledge to oust her competitors and sailed into the finals behind heat winner Nikita Robb (East London). “It felt so good to take down Karina today because she beat me last year so I’m glad she’s out of the picture now,” said Smith who finished runner-up in 2005 and will take on the Aussie contingent in the finals.

“The Aussies are strong competitors, Nicola’s (Atherton) really good, she’s on the WQS with me but hopefully we can take them down. The South African girls do the Australian junior series every year and they take us down there all the time so hopefully we can take them down on our home turf this year.”

Also knocked out of the women’s event today were last year’s third place and current world number three on the WQS Leilani Gryde (Hawaii) as well as top seed Rosy Hodge (East London).

Despite two waves off the bat, Hodge failed to lock in more than two maneuvers per wave and was relegated to third place behind the Aussie duo of 2006 ASP World Junior runner-up Nicola Atherton and WQS campaigner Amy Stewart who both advanced into next weekend’s finals.

Atherton proved to be in fine form in the tricky conditions, finding the waves that walled up onto the inside taking the overall heat win over Stewart, Hodge and Connie Arias (USA).

“Rosy is an excellent surfer not just by South African standards. She definitely is one of the up-and-coming junior’s worldwide, so to have a heat with her is always really scary,” explained Atherton. “I knew I needed to improve my position and get a better score, but I sat and waited for the one that looked like it would open up and I was rewarded.”

In the men’s division, Friday’s heat leader Matt Wilkinson (Australia) had his pro junior title hopes dashed by the feisty duo of defending champion Brandon Jackson (Durban North) and Josh Redman (Umdloti). Despite sharing an identical top scoring ride of 6.50 (out of 10.00) with the heat winner, Wilkinson faltered on a back-up score and was relegated to third place.

“Matt is a very good surfer and an outstanding competitor and I’m really stoked to have made it through that heat, it was a difficult one but things went my way,” said Jackson. “I’ve had a bad year this year with lots of ups-and-downs so I really needed to make the finals here and I’m just really, really stoked I did!”

Posting an incredible 8-point ride in the less than ideal conditions, was none other than Jordy Smith (Umbilo) who earned his place into next weekend’s finals ahead of Brandon Roberts (Cape Town). Winning an unprecedented seven consecutive victories on the ASP Africa pro junior surf tour this year, Smith is the most rivaled competitor on the pro junior circuit and one almost every surfer in South Africa would most like to beat.

“Jordy is an outstanding surfer but as the saying goes you can’t win them all and hopefully next weekend will be the event he doesn’t win”, challenged Jackson.

The Pro Junior Women’s and Mens finalists now have to wait a week before surfing their finals which take place as precursors to the women’s and men’s finals on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 July. The event holds R25 000 in prize-money across both divisions and is one of the most prestigious on the ASP Africa Pro Junior Surf Tour.

Live scoring was broadcast globally via www.mrpricepro.com for the first time in the history of pro junior surfing, at this event.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Australians dominate Day One of Mr Price Pro Junior....
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

More African Surfing News available here
Check the latest Africa Surf Reports and Forecasts

New! Get the latest news with Surfersvillage News-Alerts
 
For more information Contact;

Mr Price Sports Marketing
Clynt Lund
clund@mrpricegroup.com

Tostee.com
kirstin@tostee.com

WQS Contests - Surfersvillage